Philadelphia 76ers: Sixers hold off Celtics in overtime

Philadelphia 76ers' Evan Turner, left, and Dorell Wright celebrate after Turner's basket in the final minute of the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 7, 2012, in Philadelphia. The 76ers won 95-94 in overtime. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

PHILADELPHIA — Evan Turner made the shot, ignited the masses and gave the courtside interview.

He won the game, an overtime thriller that went the Sixers’ way, 95-94, against the Boston Celtics Friday night. He sent nearly 18,000 fans to their cars wearing smiles while his biggest fan headed for the locker room. And don’t kid yourself — Doug Collins was smiling just as broadly, too.

“I really feel good about the way he’s letting me coach him,” Collins said of Turner, whose 13-foot, pull-up jumper gave the Sixers the lead for good. “I feel a real connection with Evan, and it feels great.

“I don’t know that Evan has trusted a lot of people in his life, but I hope he trusts me.”

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Collins showed plenty of trust in Turner, to whom he handed the ballhandling duties after point guard Jrue Holiday fouled out with four minutes left in the extra session.

That faith extended beyond bringing the ball up and down the floor, though. Collins gave the order to have Turner back down Courtney Lee and take the game-winning shot — not an easy thing to do, considering Turner had missed four in a row and nine of his last 10 shots prior to the heroic shot in the paint.

“It’s easy to take those shots when you’ve hit four or five in a row,” Collins said. “I said, ‘The thing I love about you is you might’ve missed I don’t know — six or seven? You turned the ball over. But we’re down one and you stepped up and took that shot.’

“That’s big time.”

Turner finished with 26 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in 45 minutes. It’s safe to say Turner might not have a ton in the tank tonight, when the Sixers and the Celtics do it all over again at TD Garden.

Thad Young coupled 17 points with 12 boards in 45 minutes, Jason Richardson had 13 points and five steals in 42 minutes, and Holiday had 15 points, six rebounds and four assists in … well, you get the idea. Each of the Sixers starters, save Lavoy Allen, played at least 42 minutes.

Turner’s seemed more critical, despite his four turnovers, despite needing 26 shots to get 26 points.

It must have something to do with that trust thing between him and Collins.

“It was self-improvement on both ends,” Turner said. “I was stubborn and, you know, Doug every now and then is stubborn a little bit. We both have just been working on it. It’s poise and being more calm. I’ve been working to be more poised and (Collins) has definitely been helping.”

Beyond Turner’s night, and the shot, he helped the Sixers (11-8) snap a two-game losing streak and break up a streak by Boston’s Rajon Rondo. The Celtics’ point guard, in games in which he posts a triple-double, had helped his team to a 13-0 record. Rondo had 16 points, 14 assists and 13 rebounds, yet the Celtics lost.

It didn’t seem like that would happen when Boston’s Kevin Garnett canned a 20-footer with 7.7 seconds to go to send the game to overtime.

Scoring between these teams was prevalent. So were verbal exchanges.

Eight minutes into the game, that chirpiness showed up when Turner canned a corner 3-pointer as Pierce ran toward him waving his arms. Turner calmly turned and, into Pierce’s ear, said something that drew a surprised look from Pierce.

“You know Paul, I think he thrives off trash talk and stuff,” Turner said. “I thought it was all humor. I didn’t take nothing personal. I think he’s the kind of guy who you get his respect when you show him what you’ve got.”

That demonstration didn’t involve Turner’s overtime shot, either. With 49 seconds to go, Turner stuck with a broken play. Pierce rejected Turner’s initial shot as time wound from the shot clock. Turner gathered the 18-foot miss, stepped through the lane and finger-rolled the Sixers to an 89-87 lead.

“Coach always talks about greatness. He says, ‘The great ones always do it when they’re tired.’”

Added Collins: “Evan is an amazing kid. He really is and as I’ve said over and over — I know this sounds like a broken record — but when he gets confident and he’s happy with the things around him, he thrives.”

Turner has traded in early-season clunkers for more-recent gems. He’s had 20 or more points in four of his last seven games, perhaps none bigger than this one.

That confidence thing seems to go a long way with Turner — all the way to Boston, with a smile on his face.